Forever MAROON
Remembering Arthur “Art” Davis Arthur “Art” Davis, who scored the first Mississippi State touchdown ever called by Jack Cristil, died Jan. 29. He was 86. A native of Clarksdale, Davis earned a football scholarship to Mississippi State University, where the football stadium now bears his name. Now known as one of the Bulldog all-time greats, he was named the Southeastern Conference’s Player of the Year in 1954 and a first team All American in 1955, the same year Look Magazine named him college football’s Player of the Year. Davis is in the sports halls of fame of both Mississippi State and the state of Mississippi. In recent years, he was named an SEC Football Legend and inducted into the Mississippi State Football Ring of Honor. The fifth overall NFL draft pick in 1955, Davis played for the Pittsburgh Steelers until injuries abruptly ended his career. He then became a coach, Madalyn Bails (B.S. human development and family studies, ’20) 21, Plantersville – She was a six-year member of the Girl Scouts of America, receiving the President’s Honor for Volunteer Service and the Girl Scout Merit Award. She was the youngest member in the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and participated in numerous charities including the St. Jude Bike-A-Thon. A graduate of Shannon High School, she was active in Beta Club and the Shannon High School band. Thanks to dual enrollment credits, she entered Mississippi State with a full year of college completed. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she was passionate about working with children and worked at Mississippi State’s Child Development and Family Studies Center. She completed her degree from MSU in the fall of 2020 and had enrolled in graduate school at Tulane University with plans to become a doctor. – Jan. 11, 2021 Dael Baughman (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’59) 83, Kilgore, Texas – A member of numerous honor societies while at State, he moved to Texas following his graduation to work for Texas Eastman, a division of Eastman-Kodak, until his retirement 40 years later. During that time, he progressed through various positions in the engineering department, plastics lab and environmental affairs, which he served as manager for the 10 years prior to his retirement. He was also a cattle rancher. He was a member of the United Church of God where he was an Elder and ordained minister. – Dec. 12, 2020 William Jay “Bill” Bryson (B.S. architecture, ’08) 43, Tupelo – A prolific musician, he played
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first for Biloxi High School then Louisiana State University and Georgia Tech. He ended his coaching career in 1963 as defensive backs coach for the national champion Texas Longhorns. Davis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and social studies from MSU in 1956, returned to Mississippi to work for the Mississippi School Supply Company in Cleveland before returning to MSU to serve as the MSU Foundation director of development for 13 years. He then worked in public relations for United Southern Bank and First National Bank of Clarksdale and as a volunteer coach at Lee Academy until his retirement in 2001. Although Davis and his wife moved to Oregon upon retirement to be closer to their son’s family, he returned to Mississippi in 2020. As he told Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland, “There’s no place like Mississippi” and now he’s been laid to rest on “home turf.”
guitar and piano, among other instruments, and enjoyed playing music with his friends. He was a master draftsman in his career and privately a very talented artist. – March 21, 2021 Nell Crowe Dean (B.S. undeclared, ’64; retired staff ) 77, Starkville – During her 34-year career with Mississippi State, she held positions in the College of Education, Office of the Academic Vice President and the Office of the President. She will be remembered for her meticulous attention to detail and dedication to her work. She was active in the Starkville Business and Professional Women’s Club where she served on many committees, as well as being vice president and president. She was involved with the Starkville Community Theater, which she served for a term as treasurer. – Jan. 26, 2021 Sidney Hugh Easley (B.S. accounting, ’69; M.S. public policy and administration, ’03) 73, Brandon – A member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1984-1987, he was a graduate of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State and was named a Certified Grants Specialist by the National Grant Writers Association in 2002. He was a retired vice president of Mississippi Home Corporation, working in the development of low-income housing. He also played guitar and banjo as an amateur country musician. He had been a Mason and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. – July 23, 2020 Jimmy Blaine Fisher (B.S. social studies education, ’63) 79, Corinth – Following his graduation from Mississippi State, he completed a degree from the University of Mississippi School
of Law and began practicing law in Corinth. An active member of the community, he was a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club, serving a term as president. He was also on the board of several charitable organizations and an active member of Habitat for Humanity for many years. He was a scout master of Boy Scout Troop 129 and earned the Silver Beaver Award. Fisher also served on the Corinth School Board and was serving as a youth court judge for Alcorn County. The Corinth Junior Auxiliary recognized him as the 2015 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. – Jan. 2, 2021 Edward Glennan Grady Jr. (B.S. petroleum geology, ’57; B.S. forestry, ’61) 85, Corinth – A native of Laurel, he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and an active reservist with the U. S. Army. Following a brief career in the southeast Louisiana oilfields, he returned to MSU to complete an education in forestry and was selected as the outstanding graduate in the School of Forest Resources. He then spent many years with Tennessee River Pulp & Paper Co. and later as principal developer of Chips, Inc., a wood processing plant in Glen. – Jan. 10, 2021 Zack Melvin Jenkins (B.S. accounting, ’61) 81, Summer – He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity while at Mississippi State and a veteran of the U.S. Army. A former Tallahatchie County Tax assessor-collector, he was a past president of the Mississippi Tax Assessors Association. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sumner where he taught Sunday school and served as a deacon for more than 50 years. – Dec. 7, 2020
